Mouth actuated flashlight simulating a lit cigar



A. GELARDIN 2,696,382

MOUTH ACTUATED FLASHLIGHT SIMULATING A LIT CIGAR Dec. 7, l 954 Filed Oct. 16, 1950 /lev/ A ORNEY INVENTOR Alben? Gelafdzjn/ United States Patent MOUTH ACTUATED FLASHLIGHT SNIULATNG A LIT 'CIGAR Albert Gelardin, New York, N. Y.

.Application October 16, 1950, Serial No. 190,409

1 Claim. (Cl. 272-8) The present invention relates to a flashlight novelty, and fit "particularly relates to a flashlight novelty in the form of va lcigar holder and simulated cigar therein, whichm'ay-'be actuated by the lips and/ or the teeth.

It is -among the objects of the present invention to provide `a low cost, inexpensive, readily operated, light- `we1ght, simulated cigar and cigar holder which -may be conveniently held in the mouth of the user and readily operated by means of the mouth to give a flashing light, 'causing the end of the cigar to appear as if it were burning. j

A`further object is to provide a simple, lightweight, inexpensive, durable, compact flashlight arrangement which may, without difficulty, be held in and operated by thernouth and which will not result in contact with the mouth by any electrical parts of the flashlight ar*- rangement and which at the same time may be used as a source rof illumination or as a novelty toy.

Still furtherobjects and advantages will lappear in the more detailed description set forth below, it being understood, however, that this more detailed description is given by way of illustration and explanation only and 'not -by way of limitation, since various changes therein may bemade by those skilled in the art without departing 'from the scope and spirit of the present invention.

In accomplishing the above objects, it has been found most suitable, according to one embodiment of the present invention, to provide a small, elongated, cylindrical member, the exterior appearance and contour of which will be similar in shape and size to the end of a cigar and the end of which will be made of semi-transparent material simulating the ash on the end of a burning cigar.

Associated with and removable from the end of the cigar will be a thin, plastic cigar holder of normal shape which will be flexible enough to enable the bending or exing thereof adjacent the mouth portion.

Normally, the simulated cigar sleeve will carry a small battery and a small bulb for a flashlight While the cigar holder element to be placed between the lips will carry the switch means, which may consist of two parallel leaf spring members which when pressed together will establish a circuit to the light and illuminate the simulated burning end of a cigar.

Desirably, the light, battery and the various other parts are all held together by coil springs, which in turn are held inside and compressed together by a telescoping connection of the cylindrical cigar member and the cigar holder member.

With the foregoing and other objects in View, the invention consists of the novel construction, combination and arrangement of parts as hereinafter more specilically described, and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, wherein is shown an embodiment of the invention, but it is to be understood that changes, variations and modifications can be resorted to which fall within the scope of the claim hereunto appended.

In the drawings wherein like reference characters denote corresponding parts throughout the several views:

Fig. l is a front perspective view showing the use of the ilashlight novelty arrangement of the present invention in the position in which it would be held between the lips of a purchaser thereof.

Fig. 2 is a longitudinal sectional view taken upon the line 2--2 of Fig. 1 and upon an enlarged scale as compared to Fig. 1. n

Fig. 3 is a longitudinal sectional v1ew upon the line 2,696,382 Patented Dec. 7, 1954 ICC H 3b-'3 fof Fig. v2 andat an angle of 90 degrees in respect to the showing of Fig. 2.

Fig. 4 is a transverse sectional View taken upon the line of Fig. 3.

yFig. 5 fis a transverse sectional view taken upon the line 15=5 =o`f Fig. 3.

Fig. 6 is a transverse sectional View taken upon the line 6-'6 of Fig. 3.

Referring to Figs. l to 6, there is a sleeve A simulating in-color and shape a burning cigar anda cigar holder 'Ilortion fto be inserted between the lips C, as shown in ig. l. K

Interiorly of the unit A^B` there is an incandescent light bulb D, a small 'dry-cell battery E and a switch arrangement F. Y

The -unit as shown in Figs. 2 and 3 may take the Vform of a plastic, molded sleeve A of about 11/16 in internal diameter having a brown-colored base portion 10 with a transparent red and gray colored portion 11. j

Normally, the entire sleeve A may be made of a molded styrene resin material which will have a red-'colored transparent portion at 12, a gray opaque portion at 13 and'a'ceritral opening 14 at the axis.

The brown-colored portion 10 will also be opaque.

vThe base 15 of the sleeve A is provided with a ridge 16 which lits into the corresponding recess 17 in the sleeve portion 18 of the cigar holder B.

Normally, the engagement between the ridge 16 and the recess V17 will limit the insertion or telescoping of th'e sleeve A into the sleeve portion 18 of the Vcigar holder B.

The cigar holder B will be of a exible material and maybe molded of vinyl resin.

The "reduced portion 25 of the cigar holder B will normally be of such flexibility that when pressure is applied, as indicated by the arrows 26, the walls 25 may be pressed together. n

The lend 27 of the cigar holder is normally sealed oft and does not have the opening characteristic of the usual cigar holder.

The bulb D has a screw socket 2S which screws into the spring 29. The spring 29 has an enlarged diameter, outward extension 30. The upper or outer end 31 of the extension 30 will abut the interior shoulder 32 of the sleeve A and will contact the finger 33 of the strip conductor 34 of brass or copper.

This conductor 34 is fitted into the longitudinal recess 35 in one side of the sleeve A, as is shown best in Fig. 4. This metal conducting strip 34 will extend down to the point 36 at the inside edge of the sleeve A.

Normally, the recess or channel 35 will be grooved at 37 so that the strip 34 may be slid in from the bottom of the sleeve A in the direction indicated by the arrow 38.

In the assembled position as shown in Figs. 2 and 3, the strip 34 will be held in position by the upper end 31 of the spring 30 as well as by the upper end 39 of the spring 40.

The spring 40 reacts at its upper end 36 against the lower edge 41 of the sleeve A and against the lower end 36 of the conducting strip 34. At its bottom end it reacts against the shoulder 42 adjacent the end of the sleeve 18 of the cigar holder B.

The bottom end of the spring 40 also reacts against the angle extension 50 of the leaf member 51 which extends through the passage or opening 52 of the cigar holder B.

The lower end 53 of the strip 51 will Contact the base 27 of the cigar holder B.

The strip 51 is insulated by the insulating material 54 from the other strip member 55, which is held in position by means of the oiset end 56 adjacent the base 27 of the cigar holder B.

In the preferred form, there will be two strips 55 provided with their outer ends 59 in diilerent directions, so as to press the base 57 of the battery in the direction 58.

However, if desired, a single strip 55 may be employed to press the battery E up in position against the bulb D.

The strips 55 have the boss 60 which will contact the sagesse strip 51 when there is pressure applied in the direction 6 by the mouth or by the lips or teeth.

If desired, the boss 60 may be positioned upon an offset portion 61 extending longitudinally of the strip 55.

The insulating material 54 will be held in position by the shouldered or enlarged section 62.

When the sleeve 18 of the holder B and the sleeve A are telescoped together, as indicated at G, the contact 63 of the battery E, and the contact 64 of the bulb D, will be pressed together by the spring 30. At the same time the springs 30 and 40 will make contact with the strips 34 and 51, establishing a circuit which will only be open at the switch F.

This switch then will be closed by pressure of the lips or teeth when the device is placed in the mouth, as is shown in Fig. l. l

The circuit will extend from the screw socket 28, through the strip conductor 34, with the lower contact point 36, the spring 40, through the leaf member 50-51, the contact ridge 60, the outturned prongs or ends 59, the casing of the battery E to the contact point 63 of the pole or central carbon of the battery E.

The spring 30 will maintain the contact 63-64 and will also press the battery E against the outer ends or tongues 59 of the strip 55.

Although the dimensions may widely vary, it has been found in one commercial embodiment to be most satisfactory to give the device a length of 3%" and an external diameter of 11/16" in the element A and about 3A" in the element B.

It is obvious, of course, that the same device may be employed as a mouth-actuated ashlight device to enable close work when both hands are engaged, in which case the portion of the sleeve A encircling the bulb D would be made transparent.

It s thus apparent that the applicant has provided a simple, inexpensive, lightweight, readily operated ashlight construction useful either as a novelty or as a practical mouth-operated ashlight device.

While there has been herein described a preferred form of the invention, it should be understood that the same may be altered in details and in relative arrangement of parts within the scope of the appended claim.

Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, what is claimed is:

A novelty ashlight serving to simulate the effect of alighted cigar and comprising a mouthpiece operated by pressure of the teeth and lips upon the mouthpiece consisting of an insulating cylindrical shell closed at one end and having a small central opening in said closed end, the body of the shell being brown and opaque to represent the body of a cigar and the end of the shell being partly transparent to represent a lighted end of a cigar when illuminated from the inside and the end of the cylinder having a peripheral ridge extending entirely around it and said mouthpiece having a cylindrical exe" tension with a socket and a groove in said socket to engage and lock onto said ridge in said socket, a coil spring in said socket reacting against the bottom of the socket and the edge of the shell and said mouthpiece having a tapered portion with an elongated rectangular cross section recess having a switch including two elongated contact plates extending the length of said recess, said switch also having an insulating spacer plate separating the plates adjacent the cylindrical extension, the plates being pressable together to contact each other adjacent the end of the mouthpiece, the end of one plate having out-turned fingers, a battery in said shell the bottom of which battery rests on said ngers, an electric bulb having a metal screw cup and a reduced diameter glass bulb end portion tting into said small central opening, a coil spring encircling and threaded onto said cup and having a widened coil portion pressing against the interior of the closed end of the shell, and a side metal strip extending along the side of said shell establishing a circuit connection between said bulb and said switch.

References Cited in the tile of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 695,756 McConnell Mar. 18, 1902 1,153,420 Brody Sept. 14, 1915 2,490,830 Norton Dec. 13, 1949 2,545,851 Kardos Mar. 20, 1951 

